An important aspect of medical treatment is the management of pain and stress. Procedural preparation assists patients to understand and cope with medical procedures prior to experiencing them. Studies have shown that procedural preparation reduces patient anxiety, pain and distress levels and increases compliance with treatment procedures.
Currently, procedural preparation is carried out by therapists or nurses. It may involve discussions, educational stories, tours of treatment rooms and demonstrations on therapy dolls using actual medical equipment. Due to the intensive nature of most therapist run procedural preparation programs, not all patients receive preparation, particularly in outpatient settings where access to patients outside clinic time is rare.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an alternative method of preparing a patient for a medical treatment.